How One Woman Is Saving Women’s Basketball History

Cultural archivist, artist, and coach Jeannine Kayembe Oro is building something the basketball world has never had: a museum dedicated to Black women’s basketball history — from the Tribune Girls and early Philly basketball to the WNBA era and beyond.

In this episode, Jeannine explains why preserving this history matters, how coaching young Black girls exposed a deeper problem of representation beyond the athlete, and what it really takes to build an institution without a blueprint and finding funding to execute the vision.

Jeannine breaks down:

◼️ How her immigrant upbringing shaped her mindset ◼️ What the museum will be ◼️ The decades the museum will cover ◼️ The nuance behind records and recognition — including the conversation around Lynette Woodard and the NCAA timeline ◼️ Grant-writing best practices: how to be specific about audience, impact, and execution

0:00 The Need for a Black Women's Basketball Museum 0:59 Introducing Guest Janine Kayembe Oro 1:12 Early Life and Childhood Influences 1:44 The Spark: A WNBA Family Member and First Collection Piece 5:25 Immigrant Background and the Spirit of Service 8:53 The Pivotal Moment: Coaching and Inequity in Women's Basketball 11:44 Challenges of Building a Black Initiative and Fundraising 14:29 Vision for the Black Women's Basketball Museum 18:57 Uncovering 100 Years of Black Women's Basketball History 25:01 Unsung Heroes and Legacy Builders in Basketball 26:50 The Business Behind the Museum: Funding and Grants 30:26 Grant Writing Best Practices and Narrative Change 32:28 Elements of a Successful Museum 34:25 Basketball's Impact on Identity and Culture 38:48 Creative Pathways in Basketball: Beyond the Traditional 41:47 An Inspiring Message to Young Black Girls in Basketball 43:01 How Basketball Saved My Life 45:20 Support the Black Women's Basketball Museum

Support + Follow Jeannine

◼️ Instagram: @bwbbmuseum ◼️ Donate to the museum - https://gofund.me/583ca6c8f

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